1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a portable interactive conversational speech communicator. In particular, an exemplary embodiment of this invention relates to a portable interactive conversational speech communicator with split screens and a keyboard on each side allowing at least two individuals to communicate without the use of a human translator.
2. Description of Related Art
Over 28 million people in the United States experience some degree of hearing loss. Approximately four million of those are profoundly deaf. Many of these hearing impaired individuals, in addition to individuals speaking a language different from that of their surroundings, are confronted with barriers which impede their ability to effectively communicate with others. Such barriers include the inability to use spoken language, the inability of others to use and understand sign language, and the inability to understand the language being spoken to them.
Conversations with the hearing impaired are becoming increasingly limited due to the lack of sign language skills of most individuals. Those individuals who do not have a broad range of sign language skills are faced with a limited amount of resources available in order to effectively communicate with the hearing impaired. For example, the use of hand written notes, the use of gestures and closed captioning devices are commonly used. Lip reading is also commonly used. However, all of these techniques are limiting for the hearing impaired because intricate, involved conversations are not possible without the aid of a human interpreter, or the time consuming and frustrating necessity of passing notes back and forth.
As for the case of not being able to communicate in a foreign language, many individuals resort to laboriously looking up words in a foreign language dictionary if one is available and if the other listener is willing to spend the time waiting. For both the hearing impaired and the individual incapable of speaking a foreign language, a human interpreter has been the best resource available. However, the use of a human interpreter is often difficult to arrange as well as expensive.
Individuals who can not speak or hear, or individuals who are not versed in the language at hand, experience difficulties in performing everyday tasks such as communicating with retail clerks, law enforcement officials, teachers, neighbors, communicating with co-workers, or the like. Both the personal family scenario and the professional scenario are hampered by the language barriers.
In addition, professionals traveling internationally constantly are confronted with business associates who speak different languages. In this instance, the use of language interpreters are an expensive necessity. However, the need to have private interactive conversations with foreign associates without a third party present, i.e. an interpreter, particularly conversations of a sensitive nature, is a growing concern. Even casual international travelers wish to have social conversations with those speaking a different language.
Medical professionals are bombarded everyday with patients who do not speak the language of the attending personnel. In this time sensitive and sometimes life threatening situation, there is not always enough time to find a human interpreter in order to diagnose the problem at hand.
Hence, there is a need to provide a portable interactive conversational speech communicator which allows two or more individuals to converse without regard to the individual's language capabilities or language origin.